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Matt Damon Says His Female Stunt Double In ‘The Odyssey’ “Had The Greatest Arms I’ve Ever Seen”
Matt Damon has revealed that a female stunt performer stood in for him during key scenes in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey", particularly sequences involving the giant Laestrygonians. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor praised her physique and professionalism, saying he made a point of thanking her in person once filming had wrapped, in a light-hearted anecdote that has drawn attention amid the film's blockbuster success.
Damon explained that forced-perspective shots required stunt performers of varying heights, including some over seven feet tall and others under five feet, with a female stunt double used to represent him in shots where giants loom over his character. He stressed that the vast majority of arm shots in the finished film were his own, but credited his double's contribution where due. The Odyssey has performed strongly at the box office, opening globally to $264.1 million, a record for Nolan that surpasses The Dark Knight Rises' $249 million debut in 2012, with the ensemble cast including Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and Zendaya.
In short
- Damon says a female stunt double stood in for giant-scene shots
- He praised her arms and thanked her personally after filming
- The Odyssey has opened to a record $264.1M globally for Nolan
Explained simply
The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of an ancient Greek epic about Odysseus, a king trying to return home after the Trojan War. Its story includes encounters with mythical peoples, including the Laestrygonians, a race of giants.
Matt Damon plays Odysseus, while stunt performers help create scenes that would be difficult or unsafe for actors to perform themselves. Filmmakers can use performers of different heights and camera techniques to make characters appear much larger or smaller on screen.
The film brings together a large cast, including Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and Zendaya. Its scale and use of practical filmmaking have drawn attention as audiences encounter the ancient story in a new screen adaptation.